Since it has now been officially announced in the OUP catalogue, this seems an appropriate moment to publicize the forthcoming appearance of "Sketches of an Elephant: a Topos Theory Compendium" (volumes 1 and 2) by Peter Johnstone published by Oxford University Press. Both volumes are scheduled to appear in June 2002. Volume 1 (ISBN 0-19-853425-6) contains 720 pages, comprising Part A: Toposes as Categories and Part B: 2-categorical Aspects of Topos Theory. Volume 2 (ISBN 0-19-851598-7) contains 880 pages, comprising Part C: Toposes as Spaces and Part D: Toposes as Theories. (Volume 3, comprising Part E: Homotopy and Cohomology and Part F: Toposes as Mathematical Universes, is still in preparation.) Volumes 1 and 2 are priced at 100 pounds each if bought separately, or 175 pounds if bought as a set (under ISBN 0-19-961138-6). 15-Feb-2002 17:49:25 -0400,2880;000000000001-00000000
This is terrific news (and makes me heartily glad to have an Oxford author's discount on Oxford books). But here is a thought. Wilfrid Hodges' MODEL THEORY is about as long as one of these volumes, and costs about the same. It is sales rank 593,602 on Amazon which basically means that by 8 years after its publication nobody buys it. It is behind Johnstone's TOPOS THEORY at 427,429 and I believe that is out of print? The 250 page abridgment A SHORTER MODEL THEORY costs one third as much, and is sales number 142,751 on Amazon which is quite nice. The number looks high but few math books do as well. It is far better than highly regarded books on staple subjects like Rotman's GALOIS THEORY at 221,341 or Fulton's ALGEBRAIC TOPOLOGY at 225,800 for example. (Lawvere and Schanuel is at 71,151 which is terrific.) Is there any chance this publication can be matched by a re-issue or revision of Johnstone TOPOS THEORY? Or by a SHORTER TOPOS THEORY abridged from the new work? TOPOS THEORY remains today the most comprehensive concise account of the subject. It is a bit mantic because it supresses the internal logic for too long. There are valuable newer efforts. But for my money it remains the one book of which you can say: you understand toposes when you understand this book. (Please no one take offense at this, notice I do not except my own book). There is going to be a burst of new interest in category theory led by two factors: Lawvere's new publications and publication of some of his older works, and a renewed interest in Grothendieck by younger mathematicians who want to explore his less developed ideas. All but one of the SGAs is now on-line as gif files, and there is an effort to get a text version on line. The EGAs have just been re-issued by the IHES. Personally I would like to see a revised TOPOS THEORY that would at least explain the internal viewpoint intuitively much sooner than the current version does, even if the formal internal language stays in chapter 5. But a simple re-print would be better than leaving it out of print, and would sell. Any chance? best, Colin 15-Feb-2002 17:49:29 -0400,999;000000000001-00000000
participants (2)
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Colin McLarty -
Dr. P.T. Johnstone